Members of Parliament confronted representatives from TikTok, X, Meta, and Google about failures regarding misinformation, safety, and deepfakes. MPs warned social media companies that their failures may force the government to introduce tough new laws. Specific examples cited included an MP finding numerous examples of instruction videos on TikTok showing how to create nudified images of young girls. Another MP criticized social networks for failing to take down a deepfake video suggesting he had defected to Reform UK, and an MP said an AI chatbot was used to give advice about how to stalk a user's ex-girlfriend. What specific new laws or regulations are being considered remains unclear.
The UK is ill-prepared to deal with a new wave of online extremists radicalized by toxic misogynists spouting anti-Semitism and conspiracy theories, according to a Home Affairs Committee report. The 'manosphere' has been cited as particularly responsible for shaping the attitude of young minds. Youngsters are often radicalized through a toxic mix of anti-Semitism, misogyny, and conspiracy theories, which have profound implications for national security, public order, and social cohesion. Misogyny was described as a persistent and pervasive feature of online extremism.
The Prevent system is outdated and inadequately prepared to deal with modern extremism challenges in the digital world, the Home Affairs Committee report found. Long-standing terrorist threats such as Islamist and far-right extremism remain, but new forms of extremism are emerging and give rise to growing concern. The UK currently lacks the evidence base and up-to-date research needed to keep pace with developments in extremism. Statistics show that 36% of the nearly 9,000 referrals to the Prevent scheme in the year to March 2025 were aged between 11 and 15. The vast majority of Prevent referrals (nearly 5,000) were listed as having no specific ideology, while 1,798 Prevent referrals were concerned with extreme right-wing ideology and Islamist extremists accounted for 870 Prevent referrals.
Social media algorithms and influencer content are actively contributing to the rise of new belief systems and nihilistic violent extremism, according to the parliamentary committee. Individuals are now combining elements from different, sometimes contradictory narratives, unlike past forms of extremism rooted in fixed ideologies. Online influencers employ humor, memes, and coded language to disseminate potentially harmful messages.
Regulatory gaps have been identified in the Online Safety Act and insufficient scrutiny of smaller digital platforms, with concerns about migration to unmoderated spaces. The Online Safety Act contains gaps that limit the government's ability to address new forms of extremism, particularly when harmful content falls below criminal thresholds. Smaller digital platforms are not receiving sufficient regulatory scrutiny. Messaging risks directing individuals toward smaller, private, unmoderated, and encrypted platforms or messaging apps where extremist attitudes and more explicit content can be shared and reinforced with greater freedom.